


How to get over Boss and fail spectaculary

by daughteroffandoom



Series: How to... [2]
Category: My Engineer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Romance, like for Episode 11 and up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:26:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24041311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daughteroffandoom/pseuds/daughteroffandoom
Summary: When Mek finds out that Boss and Fon seem to be serious, he tries to avoid further heartbreak and decides to get over Boss
Relationships: Mek/Boss
Series: How to... [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2048156
Comments: 38
Kudos: 235





	1. The planning stage

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first thing I have written in years and it is not even in my native language.  
> Still, I hope you enjoy this little piece. It is nearly done and will be around 3 chapters in total.

**The planning stage**

If you asked Mek if he remembered when he fell in love with Boss, he wouldn't be able to answer truthfully. He didn't remember an exact date, one day the knowledge just hit him in the face. It had stunned him into silence - fitting his mute husband moniker - and he had stared at Boss until he looked up in concern and asked teasingly “if their marriage had deteriorated so much, that he wasn't even listening to his wife anymore”. Needless to say, that had shocked him right out of his revelation and started a new round of bickering. 

Now, in his third year in university and basically third year as Boss´ best friend, he had more or less mastered to hide his feelings. It helped immensely that Boss was as oblivious as no other person he had ever encountered. All in all, it was easier than he had thought, those years ago, but most of the time he was happy with what he and Boss had. Boss was after all - his best friend first and foremost. Because of this, he was able to bury his longing under the pile of happiness and friendship. Until Fon. 

Boss fell in love often and easily. Always searching with an open heart and the hope for a long term relationship. Most of the time, those loves ended shortly after only a few dates, and Mek would take Boss out to drink his sorrows away, only to be greeted a few days later with a Boss who had a new crush, smiling like an overexcited puppy and talking nonstop about them. That's how they worked. But Fon changed things. For the first time, Mek was unhappy with how the things between him and Boss worked. Fon, different from all of Boss´ former crushes, seemed more serious. And not only that, but she was Boss´ first girlfriend that knew him longer than Mek. And still, seeing Boss sad about his relationship troubles and how desperately he tried to make it work, made him abandon all of his self preservation instincts and help. Even if, in the end all he did, was to destroy bits and pieces of his own heart just to see Boss happy. 

After he gave Boss his song - although it wasn't truly his song wasn't it? He had written it for Boss after all - after he gave him his song, even sang it for him like the lovesick idiot he was, and had gone to his room, with dry burning eyes and something that hurt somewhere deeply, after that he laid awake in his bed, listening to Boss sleepy mumbles in the living room. And while he laid in bed, he decided, that something had to change. He pulled his blanket over his head and tried to breath the pain away. It didn't work- he hadn't expected it to - but beneath the blanket in dark, warm solitude and with suspiciously wet eyes he made a decision. He had to get over Boss if he wanted both of them to be able to be happy in the future. 

\----

The next day started with him waking a hangover Boss up, bringing him something to drink and the throwing him out, so he could “get ready for the day”. What he really did, was putting everything, that reminded him of his love for Boss, things he had collected over the years and stored in his wardrobe, in a shoebox. Carefully, often halting the process because he became overwhelmed with memories, he laid down the photos and trinkets, making sure that nothing would get damaged over the time. Just because he had decided to get over Boss, those were precious memories to him, and maybe he would be able to value them as a friend would, it didn't justify a rough handling. Between the many photos of the both of them, he took the longest to put the most recent one down. The polaroid photo that showed them on Boss´ “training date” to impress Fon. Mek had considered this the only possibility for him to go on a date with Boss. If it had been a real one, Mek would had considered it a successful one. Boss had been bubbly and happy, the food had been good, the weather had been nice and when Boss had wanted another photo, just because he had his eyes closed, Mek didn´t hesitate. A photo of a not date, to soothe the hurt feelings he fought with when he got too much into his head, was as much as a reward as Boss´ smile when he saw the cake the waitress had bought for them. 

Now, the photo hurt more than it soothed and with a heavy heart, he put it on top of the name tag, where his name was crossed out and instead the words “mute husband” were written. The day where it all started, and the last day he would allow. His fingers trembled lightly as he taped the lid shut and with regret churning in his stomach, he pushed the box on top of his wardrobe, and there as far back as he could. Then he stood in the middle of his bedroom, feeling surprisingly empty, when he looked at the place where all those memories used to belong. 

The beeping of his phone brought him back to the now, and he looked around until he found it on top of his nightstand, blinking that he had a new message in the groupchat. It was Boss, asking what was taking him so long. Confused, he looked at the clock, only to see that the preparations for a fresh, crush-on-Boss-free life had taken longer than expected and he was running late. Mek cursed heartfelt and rushed into the bath get ready for university - for real this time.

He made it barely in time, slipping into room mere seconds before the professor closed the door. Sweaty and out of breath, he let himself fall into the chair next to Boss, who looked at him brimming with curiosity.

“You're late”

“I wasn't late. I was in the room, before the lecture started”  
“You know what I mean, you threw me out nearly an hour ago to get ready”

“Yes. I did. And then I noticed that I had forgotten something and rushed to get it done before class”

“Eh? What did you forget?”, Boss was rummaging through his bag, finally taking his eyes off of Mek, who took a deep, relieved breath. Lying to Boss was hard, when it wasn't about his feelings. But the difficulty reached a whole new level when he was looking at Mek. Desperate for an easy solution, Mek himself started pulling out his notes and homework while trying to think of a believable lie. In the end, he choose an obvious route, after he cast a look to the blank page of Boss´ homework. 

“I noticed, that I had forgotten to finish my homework, so I rushed this morning to get it done”

“We had homework?”, Boss´voice rose in high and pitch, his head whipping between King and Mek, the only ones reliable when it came to schoolwork. 

Tee was too busy with their faculties charity projects and working with the juniors to really do school work, only really studying before a test. 

Bohn normally was quite a diligent student, but recently all what seemed to matter to him was his relationship, often resulting in him copying the homework of his friends. Mek was sure, that Bohns behaviour would return to normal, as soon as he got used to Duen and the new status quo. 

“Mek I didn't expect you to forget to do your homework. I´m used to Boss not doing his. Is he a bad influence on you?”, King grinned, a teasing glint in his eyes, as he watched Boss dramatics, who had flung himself halfway over his desk, whining about the unjust universe and the cruel ways it used to stray hardworking students from the right path. Mek released a deep sigh, dodging the arm Boss flung out in offence to Kings words. 

“I wouldn't have”, well he actually remembered to do his homework before Boss showed up, “but someone decided to get drunk, whiny and basically threatened to vomit on my carpet so I had to take care of them instead” Kings smile turned soft at his words, always the one to showcase his soft spot for his friends, even when teasing them- or in Bohns case betting against them. Next to Mek, Boss sat up straight in his chair, eyes finding Mek again, before a sugary sweet smile spread across his lips. Mek swallowed nervously. That look of his promised trouble, at least for him, because it was unfairly hard to say no to that face. 

“Nene, Mek”, Boss wrapped his arms around Meks, slipping closer to him and smushing his cheek against Meks upper arm.

“Dear husband of mine”, he blinked up at him with the biggest eyes possible, the sweet smile still on his lips. “You wouldn't leave your beloved wife without homework wouldn't you? Your not a cruel husband. Let your wife copy your homework okay?”

Mek felt heat rising to his face, like always when Boss got clingy and joked that they were married. Helplessly he looked to King, who was grinning bright, enjoying Boss´ theatrics. Mek, in this moment swore revenge. 

He stayed strong and silent until an insisting tugging at his arm made him look down and into Boss´ face. Who was pouting, dear god. Blinking he tried to stay strong, but crumbled a few seconds later. Grumbling he slid his homework towards Boss who brightened up and thanked him furiously before he started scribbling down the formulas. Mek threw another murderous glance towards King, only to see him searching his ridiculously tiny bag for something, his brows furrowed. 

“What are you looking for King?”, Tee - who had been on his phone until the movement next to him had caught his attention- asked, for once putting his phone away.

“My pencil. I could swear that I packed one extra, but I can't find it”

“Well”, Mek said, still irked that King hadn't done anything to help him, when he was confronted with Boss´ puppy eyes, “if you would use a normal bag instead of one so small, you could fit more than two pencils in it”.

Kings mouth dropped open and Tees and Boss´ heads whipped around, all three of them stunned. For a moment Mek felt bad, but for one he was right, that bag was in no way practical and the other, more pressing matter was, that King knew or at least strongly suspected how Mek felt for Boss, after he had caught him moping drunkenly - his reason for getting drunk was Tee finding out about his feelings for Boss, so in the end he blamed Tee - maybe he should swear revenge against Tee instead. He was in the process of finding the right words for saying “sorry but deep down you know I'm right”, looking at King sheepishly, when King started giggling. 

“You´re are as always a delight to be around when you're sleep deprived. And yes. My bag is tiny, but in a few years, when all of you are complaining about back pains I will be the one laughing”, King was still chuckling.

“But to say sorry, you could lend me a pencil” 

Mek threw him a sheepish smile and after shortly searching through his (reasonably sized) bag, gave him a whole package of pencils, while mumbling an honest “sorry”.

King only rolled his eyes good-naturedly, but took them before he asked with a nearly wicked smile: “So, is there a reason other than a drunk Boss that you couldn't sleep?”

“No. No other reason”, Mek turned his eyes down to his notebook. “But after he stopped throwing up and finally fell asleep he started sleep talking and I´m used to sleeping in silence”, he shrugged, ignoring Boss´ outraged spluttering. 

“I don't sleep talk!”

“Yes you do. You were mostly talking nonsense thou”

“Gentleman, would you like to present your homework to the whole class? It seems like there is a lot to discuss about it, or why are the five of you insisting on talking in my lecture?”, their professor stood in front of them, a dark frown on her face and arms crossed. 

“Professor we're very sorry, but we were discussing which formula we used to get a solution in the third question. It seems that we all used slightly different ones.”, Tee bowed, hands clasped in front of his face. Their professor stood still for a moment, judging them and looking for the homework on their tables, before she nodded and turned back to the front. “It seems as if there were problems with the third question, so I will demonstrate which formula you should use”

As soon as their teachers back was turned, all of them discreetly gave Tee a fist bump for saving them. Well, all of them except for Bohn, who had spent the start of the lesson daydreaming about Duen and was confused and kind of offended to also be blamed by the professor, even if he hadn't payed attention in class, he at least did nothing to disrupt the lecture. 

\----

Operation “get over Boss” was failing spectacularly. After their lectures all five of them went to lunch in the cafeteria, where Boss who had forgotten his wallet used his puppy-eyes to get Mek to pay for his meal. Then he stole Meks drink, because “it tasted better”, and after that he started - in a food induced sleepiness- to cuddle against Mek. It was horrible. Horrible in the way that it made Meks heart beat faster and forced him to fight against the urge to cuddle back. Mek was weak and his resolve was breaking. But every time he thought about leaving the things like they were, he had to think about the inevitable pain that came with it. Mek was weak and in love, but he was no idiot. Most of the time.

With more force than necessary, he stabbed at his food, not even wanting to eat, just doing it, so it seemed that he was busy. Mentally he was making a list, creatively labeled “How to get over Boss”. For now there was not a lot on it, but it was a start. 

  1. Put physical distance between Boss and him, meaning first and foremost no cuddling. 
  2. Say no to Boss´ puppy eyes 
  3. Go on a date with somebody else 
  4. Don't react to being called Boss´ husband



Deep in thought he didn’t noticed how his friends quietened down around him, watching in concern as he was shoveling his food from one side of his plate to the other. 

“Mek are you okay?”, if he hadn’t been able to identify Boss´ voice amongst all others, the vibrations crawling up his arm would have told him who of his friends voiced his concerns. 

“”Yes”, another stab at his food made him spill rice on the table.

“You sure?”

“Yes”, he dropped the spoon in his food and closed his eyes before rubbing his forehead. 

“If you’re okay, why are you behaving so strangely?”

“I’m not behaving strangely”

“Yes you are”; Boss sat up, crossing his arms in front of him.

Mek took deep breaths, trying to calm down. He was aware that his friends were concerned but it was all too much. He felt like crying. He felt like shouting. He felt like punching. And if they wouldn’t stop now, he would start with one of them. He wasn’t sure, what would be the most humiliating. 

“Seriously you’re so grumpy today. You were mean to King and you didn’t eat your lunch. And-”

Mek slammed his hands down on the table, successfully interrupting Boss, stunning him into silence.

“I am tired Boss. Not only have you forced me to go drinking with, you also pressured me into teaching you guitar and letting you sleep at my place, never mind the fact that I told you, that I didn’t want to do it. And you made me write a song for your girlfriend”, he watched nearly detached how he blew up, catching the attention of more people than his friends. In the silence that followed, all he could hear was his thundering heartbeat, as the situation caught up with him. Then he panicked. He got to his feet, stumbling a bit, stuttering half formed apologies and left the cafeteria as fast as he could. He may have run a little bit. 

\----

He had fled to the library, knowing that even if they found him here, they wouldn’t bother him as much as anywhere else, because every single one of them had a healthy respect for the librarian. There he sat brooding, at the table farthest away from the entrance, writing and rewriting his list, trying to find a way of solving the whole thing without hurting him or his friends more than he already had. His lists were spread all over the tabletop, when a shadow fell over him. Hastily scrambling to get all his stupid lists together so at least a bit of his dignity was spared, he looked up in the concerned face of King. Sighing he gestured for him to sit down.

“So, that what an unexpected explosion you showed us at lunch”

Mek groaned miserably.

“Mek that sounded, like that rant was coming for a long time. Are you okay?”

Weakly he shook his head. 

“Do you want to talk about it? Tee seems to know something, but you blindsided the rest of us”

“It’s been too much for too long but I could handle it. I was okay. But recently…”

“Recently the too much got much worse?”

“Yes”

Both of them sat in silence, both thinking about what to say. 

“King, have you ever been in love? Like real love and not just a crush?”

A blush was rising on his cheeks, and Mek noticed that he suddenly seemed shy.

“No, not yet. Has your situation to do with love?”

“Yes. Unrequited love. And how to get over it”

“Maybe time will help?”

“King, I’ve been in love with one person for about three years, I don’t think time will change anything”

“Shit! Three years? That’s quite some time. Do I know them? How were you able to handle this feelings? I would have gone crazy if I were in your situation!”

“I was okay with my feelings, because I was content to be the friend. I was okay with knowing them better than their partners, I could handle it because I knew, in the end they would leave and it would be again the both of us, but now…”, he trailed off, eyes wet and feeling hollow.

“Now?”, King had sat forward and put a comforting hand on Meks shoulder.

“Now they’re serious about their partner, I get blown off on a short notice and it feels like I’ve lost them. Not only in a romantic way, but as a friend too, because now they come to me to talk about their partner, and they come to me to ask for advice for their relationship and every time we talk they talk about their girl- their partner and… it feels like I don’t matter anymore. I was okay with being their friend, because at least in the end I mattered more than their romantic partners and I knew how much I could lose. But now it feels like I already lost everything. I don’t know. It’s stupid”, he put his hands in front of his face, trying to hide the tears brimming in his eyes. Mek wouldn’t allow himself to cry in public. 

He few moments later King slipped on the seat next to him, throwing his arms around him and Mek couldn’t do anything else than to lean into his friend. He had a really bad day and King willingly offered comfort, so he would take it. 

“Let’s get you to your room, okay?”, King helped him get up, even gathered his messy papers, before slinging his arm around Meks shoulders and pulling him with him. Mek kept his head lowered the whole way to his room, trusting King to keep him from running into people, walls or any other obstacle. 

\----

Thanks to King, they got home without accidents. Mek took the time to calm down, rubbing his eyes until they were dry and clearing his throat, until he hoped, that nobody had seen more of his mental breakdown than necessary. Exhausted he let himself fall down on his couch in the living room, while King, after a short moment of hesitation, sat down on the table in front of him. 

The silence hung over him like a suffocating blanket. 

“It’s Boss”

“What?”, King looked up from his phone, his light smile replaced with a look of concern.

“The person I’m in love with is Boss. I thought you knew already”

“I suspected it, I admit. But I don’t think anyone else knows. I mean except for Tee”

“Yeah, Tee found out when he barged into my room and found some photos of Boss” 

“That’s the reason nobody is allowed over without calling ahead?”

“Yeah, but that won’t be a problem anymore. Step one of my get-over-Boss-Plan was putting all the reminders of Boss that I have in a Box and storing it on top of my wardrobe”

“What’s your second step?”  
“I don’t know. Depends on the list. Learn to say no to his puppy-eyes. Put a stop to the husband-wife jokes. Get drunk. Get on a date. Flee the country and live as a hermit in some forest without cell reception. Take a pick”

“Flee the country?Where would you even flee to?”

“China. I have family there.It would be very easy to flee to China. It’s like a phone call and a “Grandma can I come stay with you?” and I could go on a plane to China the same day”

“But you won’t, right?”

“Not without trying anything else first. I like our friends, I like the university and the professors. I like my apartment. I like Thailand. And I mean… I fell in love with Boss, so it’s possible to fall out of love with him, right?”

King was silent for a moment.

“I’m not sure that it’s so easy to fall out of love with a person, when the reason why you fell in love hasn’t changed”

“But it’s worth a try right? I’m not sure how long I’m able to keep breaking my heart”

“Of course it’s worth a try. Nevermind the fact, that nobody of us would like to see you go to China.”

They looked at each other, before breaking out in chuckles. 

“Just imagine King, that you had to keep all three of them under control”

“I would go bald in half a year!”

“And how would you charm people without your fancy hair?”

“ I wouldn’t have time to charm anyone. I would be busy visiting our friends in prison”  
“You think they would end up in prison?”

“Of course they would! Bohn has anger issues, Tee always involves himself in other people’s business and Boss will sooner or later end up in a brawl, if no one has his back and keeps his mouth shut”

They dissolve into laughter. 

When both of them had calmed down, King gently slapped his arm.

“So, on which list is the second point “get drunk”? Because I can help with that. Give me 20 minutes and I will bring you more alcohol than both of us can drink”

\----

It was late. Mek didn’t know how late, but it was dark and it was raining and the empty bottles of alcoholic beverages - screw that nasty beer, cocktails were way better!- in his living room had climbed to an impressive number. King - amazing, wonderful King - had proven what a wonderful amazing friend he was and had drunken with him. And man, King was drunk! His cheeks were bright red, his eyes glassy and since like a long time ago - like so much time ago- he was stuck to his phone, giggling, sending texts and making photos. Mek thought it was really funny to watch. So funny in fact, that he had to start laughing. But that was okay. Laughing was a nice change in his mood. Was laughing a mood? He took another swing of his drink - mmmh, strawberry - before he attempted to stand. Swaying, he didn’t know why, he stood in front of his couch, trying so hard to remember what he had wanted to do. What had he wanted to do? He was still contemplating when a knock on his door pulled him out of his musings. 

“Mek? Have you calmed down? Can I come in? Remember you wanted to teach me guitar!”

Boss! It was Boss knocking on his door. Wonderful, adorable Boss. And he was knocking on Meks door. He had gone to Mek and nobody else. He had braved the dark and- oh no! Mek stumbled to the door, but was stopped short of his destination by Kings legs when he fell over them and landed with an impressively loud bang on the floor.

“Mek? Are you alright? That was a really loud noise”

Mek mumbled something back, before he used his table - sturdy!- to pull himself up. A few steps later and he was in front of the door, trying to figure out if he had locked it. He tried the handle and the door swung open, Meks eyes widened in surprise, as the movement of the door made him lose his footing and before he could blink, he was sitting on the floor stunned by the fast happenings around him. The floor groaned and Mek looked down. He had landed on Kings back and his friend was drunkenly swearing while taking a photo or short video, grumbling things along the line of “heavy ass friends who were too drunk to stand”. Mek was intending to correct King- it was King who was drunk, not him!- when Boss took all of his attention, by making a strangled sound. Meks head whipped around so fast he got dizzy. He groaned and clutched his head.

Boss closed his door and held a hand out to him. 

“Come on, get up before you suffocate King. Why were you even drinking?”

“It’s the second step!”

“The second step of what? Of dying of alcohol poisoning?”

“No, of getting over unrequited love”

“Is King in love?”

“He said no”

Boss looked confused, taking an involuntary step forward, as Mek took his hand and tried to pull himself up.

“Shit Mek, you’re heavy! Don’t pull me down with you!”

“That was really stupid Boss. So stupid”

“What was stupid? Trying to help you get up? I’m starting to see it”

“No. It’s like super stupid to walk in the dark alone. Like it’s dangerous and stuff”

“Mek I’m not a girl, I can walk alone in the dark. It’s no big deal”

“But you’re so small. Like the perfect fit to throw you over a shoulder and stuff you in a trunk!”

Boss stared wide eyed at him.

“Yeez, thanks Mek for those nightmares”

“Eh, it’s okay. As long as I’m here I will walk with you when it’s dark, that way nobody can stuff you in a trunk”

“Stop saying that I can get stuffed in a trunk!”

“But it won’t happen! I will walk with you until I decide to go to China to live as a hermit in a forest without cell reception and-”

“What?”

“-when I’m gone, King will walk with you until he has no time for this anymore, because he has to visit Bohn and Tee in jail. Then you can get concerned”

“You’re wasted Mek. I’ve never seen you this drunk. Normally you don’t get drunk. What’s up with you? Is there anything -”

“Mek, what’s your address?”, King interrupted them, drunkenly speaking half in his phone, half to the floor. “somebody said that I should go to sleep but I can’t sleep here, I have to take care of my plants so I said I would go home but somebody said I shouldn’t go home alone so they said that I should give them your address so they can take me home”

Meks brain took a while to understand what King had said, but when he did, he frowned.

“But your not trunk sized”

“ Oh for the sake of- just share your position King! Mek go brush your teeth and get changed. You both are aware, that tomorrow is a school day, right?”, Boss had put his hands on his hips, staring angrily between both of his drunken friends. Mek nodded, stumbling to the bathroom, while King blinked up at Boss. 

“You know, you look like an angry mom. Or an angry wife”

Boss spluttered, before pointing his finger at him.

“Just share your position and get someone to take you home!”


	2. The this-is-not-working-stage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thank you very much for all the comments, kudos, bookmarks and subscriptions. I don`t know if there is some kind of policy for answering comments, but every single one made me really happy :)  
> I originally wanted this chapter up before last weeks episode but an unexpected amount of work got in the way. But this gives me the opportunity to insert some of the sweet things we saw in the episode in this and the next chapter.   
> I hope you enjoy this chapter too.

The next morning came with a splitting, nauseating headache and the only thing, Mek felt capable of was groaning and pulling his blanket over his head. He suffered in silence for a few moments, wondering what had woken him up, when a head splitting noise and the sound of breaking glass alarmed him into moving. He stumbled surprisingly steady to the kitchen, squinting his eyes and trying to keep everything down he had ever consumed in the last decade. 

“Did you just blow up my kitchen?”

“It’s not my fault that your pans don’t work like normal ones”   
“What’s... nevermind”, Mek made his way over to the window to open it, releasing the smoke out of his kitchen. While he tried to remember where he had put his pain relievers - without them he would not survive the day, he knew for sure- he heard Boss cleaning the glass from the floor.

“I bought you some painkillers. They’re on the table in the living room”   
Mek mumbled his thanks, stumbled into his living room and stopped short of the couch. He may not remember that much of the last night but going by how much his head hurt, the amount of alcohol he and King had drunk must have been massiv. But his living room was clean.

“Did you clean my living room?”, Mek took the pills and swallowed them dry. Existing would be way easier without this hangover. 

“I did. I mean, I wanted to sleep on the couch, so you wouldn’t get concerned because I’m trunk sized”, Boss sounded off. 

“You’re what?”

“Trunk sized, at least according to you”

“I’m really sorry Boss, but I have no idea what you’re talking about”

“Whatever Mek. Get ready. We have half an hour to get to university and I’m not going to be late because of you”

Wow, Mek thought while getting ready and waiting for the painkillers to kick in, Boss was in a Mood today.

\----

Lunch came and with it Meks next opportunity for painkillers. He had survived the first half of the day with a terrible headache, a moody Boss, a distracted Bohn, a noisy Tee and an equally hangover King who had spend the lectures asleep with his head on the table, wincing everytime he was woken up. Mek felt him. He felt him so much. The only reason he hadn’t slept was that Boss had knocked him from his half asleep state every single time.

Now he was sitting at their usual table staring at his plate and wishing for sleep. Or death. Anything really, to end his suffering. Instead he shared a few pills to fight his headache with King and kept silent. Their friends were staring at them until Bohn broke the silence.

“So, what did you and King do last night?”

“They got drunk obviously”   
“Yes thank you Tee, I was aware of that. I mean why did they get drunk?”

“Mek was talking about overcoming love”

“Boss are you telling me, that one of our notoriously single friends is in love?”

“If you can trust anything they were on about yesterday”

“What does that mean?”

“Apparently people who are shorter than them should not be allowed to go out after the dark. Because they’re trunk sized”

Mek groaned. King did too.

“Boss I don’t even remember saying that”

“Oh King. You didn’t say that. You just called me an irritated wife”

King moaned defeated.

“Boss, I’m sorry. I don’t even remember how I got home”

“Your junior took you home, while you were wildly rambling about plants. After you bothered him on the phone for the whole evening “

King turned red, than paled rapidly and let his head fall down on the table. 

“If you are truly my friends you will save me the suffering and kill me now”

“Oh but it gets worse”

“Oh no”

“Oh yes. It seems that you and Mek made plans for him to flee the country, live in a forest without cell reception in China…”

“Stop it please”

“... having you walk me home every time it turns dark because of my trunk sized body…”

“God have mercy”

“...until you can’t do this anymore because you have to visit Bohn and Tee in jail!”

“Oh no”, groaned King and Mek.

“What?”, asked Bohn and Tee incredulous.

“I’m pretty sure that half of that plan came into existence while we were still sober, if that helps in any way”

“It doesn’t but it thanks for trying”

“Can we come back to how both of you seem to think that we would end up in jail?”

Mek let his head fall back in defeat. The day just got longer. But at least that explained Boss’ mood.

\----

Later, after Boss had excused himself to go on a date with Fon, ensuring that Mek stayed sober so that he could come over after to practice guitar with Meks help, Mek got a text from Tee.

“So you told King”

“Yes”

“And your solution was to get drunk or flee the country”

“Apparently”

“You know that that was stupid?”

“Yes. I’m just happy that I didn’t accidentally confess my feelings to Boss”

“Boy. That would have sucked. Are you okay?”

“As okay as I’ve ever been since I noticed that I was in love”

“Any plan how to handle that?”

“I started making lists. One of them had getting drunk as the second step”

“What’s the next one?”   
“According to that list? Go on dates until I fall in love with someone else”

“I could help with that”

“How?”

“My phones data storage is at maximum capacity because of all the school and voluntary activities I participate in. I know people. Lots of them. I can hook you up”

“Okay”

“Okay? Are you sure?”

“Yeah. It’s not like I have much choice. The situation will escalate. It’s just a matter of time”

“Dude. That turned dark pretty fast. But if you’re sure, I can organise a date for you. When would be a good time?”

“I don’t care. Not when I have lectures or am busy with the activities”

“So tomorrow would be okay with you?”

“Sure”

“Last question: Boys or girls or both?”

Mek hesitated before sending the last message.

“Boys. Girls were never my thing” 

“Sure thing. I’ll send you the details. See you tomorrow!”

“See you. And thank you”

“No problem”

Later, when Boss turned up and whined to Mek so that he would teach him the c-cord again, he was so deep in though, that he didn’t noticed the concerned glances Boss threw him.

\----

Mek had gone on a date every single day in the last three weeks, some ended better than other but none ended on a good enough note to justify another date. On one memorable occasion a terrible date had ended with a less than favourable twitter rant about him, because he had chosen to end the date prematurely. 

After listening to his dates obnoxious rambling for two hours, being harshly judged for the way he dressed and what he had ordered to eat, Boss had written him a text message. His plan to get over Boss normally would have forced him to ignore the message until after his - terrible, horrible - date, but it had been the day of the competition and the date was already going bad. So he had looked, saw that Boss hadn’t qualified for the next round and decided to comfort his best friend. And he had told his date, that this was the reason he had decided to cut the date short. 

Which was a mistake he still regretted making. The following twitter rant was the talk of his faculty even days later. So far every date after this disaster had started with him being asked if what twitter said was true and him being forced to justify his actions. And because his “actions” were fleeing a horrible date and comforting his best friend, Mek was done with this shit. He was basically a minute away from starting his own twitter rant, permalinking it on all of his social media just so people would stop asking about it. His friends felt similar. After they had overcome the surprise of him dating boys, which hadn’t taken long, after all Boss and Bohn were the only ones not in the Known, they started twitter ranting back, stopping people from bothering him and vetoing Tees date choices for him. 

Boss was the most vicious of them, which simultaneously made him happy- because Boss cared!- and sad. Tee and King had started throwing him pitying glanced everytime Boss rejected one of his dates because his reason always was that “they were not good enough for him!”, restlessly pointing things out, that would prove in Boss´ opinion that the date would end in nothing. Be it that they liked to eat something Mek was allergic too, lived too far away or didn’t like the same music and tv-shows as Mek. 

Surprisingly, his dates that had not ended on a bad note started defending him too. Mostly describing him as a “sweet but quiet guy who just needed someone to fill the silence in the absence of his friends”. The first time his friends had read this, they had started laughing until they were crying. Mek was humiliated. Tee had proposed to put that on his social media accounts. Mek may or may not had punched him in the arm for that. 

Still, his plan to get over Boss had come to a stillstand. He was still in love with Boss, Boss was still in a relationship and his heart was still breaking bit by bit everytime Mek reminded himself of these facts.

\----

Mek was jogging in the park, trying to outrun his frustrations, being overall a gross, sweaty mess of a human being, when he was again reminded of Boss` relationship. He was on the soft grass in front of the café- better for the knees- when he saw them sitting at one at the tables on the front deck, holding hands. Fon was talking and Boss was listening with an intensity he normally only used while he tried to study or cheat at the exams. Mek felt his heart breaking a little bit more. Of course he had known that they were together, he had listened to Boss praising her to heavens and hell often enough, had seen him smile at his phone. He had known. But now he saw them for the first time together since they had become a couple. 

Trying to swallow down the hollow feeling spreading nausea through his body, he turned around and fled the scene. He was more running than jogging, while trying to put his earphones in, when he accidentally knocked into someone. Both of them landed on the ground, water and - was that food?- spreading on the floor. Mek looked up, ready to apologize to the other person, when they started to gather the spilled food on a paper plate. Mek - out of breath and embarrassed- decided to help them. He looked at the face of his unintentional victim and groaned silently. Of course he had to knock over a person he knew. Looking at him with a blank face, finger sticky with food was the junior. More specifically Kings junior. If only Mek could remember his name. King only called him “Cool Boy” when talking about him, but Mek was pretty sure that if he tried that, someone would kill him. He only wasn't sure about who would kill him - King, Duen or the junior himself. 

“I'm sorry that I knocked you over. I'm going to buy you new food.”

Cool Boy was staring at him.

“Anything specific?”

A blank stare was his only answer. 

“Then I´ll just buy something. That dish that you dropped looked like bland rice and meat. Would that be okay?”

This time he nodded. Mek grinned back, relieved that the conversation was over. He didn`t know how King could stand to constantly fill the silence. But when he thought about it a bit longer, King could talk non-stop - especially about plants- so maybe their weird relationship worked exactly how it should. A bit like Boss` and his relationship had been before his best friend got a girlfriend and he decided to casual-date his feelings away. Nowadays they didn`t see each other very often, but they actually had planned a movie night for the evening. 

After he had bought new food - bland rice and bland meat - he returned to Cool Boy pondering if he should ask why he had such boring food, but decided against it in the end. He wouldn't get an answer anyway. Curious he watched as Cool Boy - seriously he had to ask for his real name, this was getting embarrassing- took the food, the hint of a smile on his face, before he bowed and walked away. What an odd boy.

\----

He was at the supermarket, doing the necessary grocery shopping when his phone beeped, signaling that he got a new message. The sound alert was the one, he specifically had chosen for Boss, so he dropped the carrots in the cart, fishing for his phone. 

“Fon broke up with me. Come and get drunk with me”

Mek felt his heart beating excited and his liver crying. 

“Are you okay? Any way I can help?”

“Bring alcohol and food. Greasy, meaty food. And sweets. Like that chocolate cake that day. Oh and that tasty red juice you had in the fridge a few weeks ago.”

Mek sighed, a fond smile on his face.

“Okay. I will meet you at your place in an hour”

“Nope. I`m at yours”

“What? Are you waiting in front of my door again? My neighbours already asked if we had a domestic dispute the last time you decided to camp in my doorway”

“No, I´m in your living room. I took the spare key with me that time you got spectacularly drunk with King when I had to go out to buy you the painkillers. I had to get back into your room, didn`t I?”

“Also, that domestic dispute thing explains a lot. That nice Lady at the front desk said that the next time you kicked me out, she would let me sleep in the breakroom. And she gave me a long speech about toxic relationships. That confused me. But now I know why. She thought my husband had thrown me out :(“

Mek groaned. The rumors had spread to the night guard. Just great. But it explained the evil eye she had thrown him the day after Boss had asked to teach him guitar. Just great. And Boss had a key. A month ago, that thought would had send him into a panic, having Boss in his personal space always made him even more aware of his feelings and to add on to that, at that time his “creeper closet” - name courtesy of Tee- still was a thing and a ticking time bomb. Now that he had hidden the evidence of his feelings from himself and everyone else, letting people inside was a now a thing he could do without breaking into cold sweat.

“Next time ask for my key”   
“As if I would ever give you your key back. It`s mine now. No going back to the Mek who never let anyone into his room. VIP access for Boss!”

Warmth spread through him, colouring his cheek and making his heart beat faster. Then he groaned. Damnit Boss! Things like this, the casual possessiveness, made getting over him at least ten times harder than it already was. Mek wanted to bang his head into something hard, so that that happy little voice in the back of his head, that was hopelessly gone on Boss, the voice he tried to suffocate everyday, would just shut up, instead of growing louder with every action that a lovesick fool could misinterpret for returned feelings. 

“If it's really bothering you I can give your key back. I`m sorry. I didn't thought that it would bother you so much. Sorry :(“

Mek hated it, when Boss was insecure. Boss was his personal sunshine - happy, bubbly, caring and with the nicest smile Mek had ever seen- and seeing him sad always made Mek weak and panicky. Boss deserved the world - and Mek would give it to him. Even if it was from the background.

“No, you can keep it. Like you said: VIP access for Boss. But only him please. I`m not sure what I would do if Bohn started turning up at my place with his Duen troubles.”

“Aw. My husband is the best <3\. See you soon. Don't forget the alcohol. I just got dumped”

Mek choked on his own spit when he saw the innocent heart shining up from his phones display. He debated until he stood in front of the cash register if he should send a heart back. In the end he didn`t. After all, he was trying to get over Boss. Not fall even more in love with him. 

\----

What he had overlooked when they had planned the movie night, was that his tv was in his bedroom. Now, after eating the food from the food-stall near his building, ready to get Boss spectacularly drunk while watching trashy american movies Mek saw himself confronted with a big problem. He probably would never -ever!- forget the picture Boss made, sprawled across Meks bed in a baggy shirt and shorts, already tipsy on the athmosphäre, good food and the prospect of alcohol. To distract himself from his thought, Mek threw the remote at Boss, before getting comfortable clothes from his wardrobe.

“You can start the movie. I'll be quick”

Boss only mumbled something Mek couldn`t understand, so he turned around to take a shower. 

He returned indeed pretty quick. Only a little more than ten minutes later and he was back in his room, freshly showered and dressed, ready to lay down and not get up until the next day. Only problem was, that Boss was still taken up more space than should physically be possible. 

“Scoot over Boss or you can sleep in the breakroom and complain about how cruel I am” 

“Who am I to throw my husband out of the bed?”, Boss winked before he scooted over, grabbing his third alcoholic drink of the evening. Normally Boss could drink up to 10 drink, when he had eaten a full, greasy meal before, before he blacked out. So Mek only rolled his eyes, before he sat down and tried to get comfy. He was still trying to figure out what was poking him in the back, when Boss was suddenly deep into his personal space, cuddling up to him. While that wasn`t the newest thing, it still was the first time they did this away from the university campus. Mek felt his cheeks turning red and he involuntary stiffened his posture. 

Boss looked up to him, eyes big and mouth pouty.

“C´mon husband. I got dumped today. Cuddle me to make me feel better!”

Mek sighed, but obliged. He put his arm around Boss and made sure that he could easily reach the alcohol.

His plan to get over Boss was not working. Not at all. 


	3. The-utterly-failed-stage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and sorry for the long delay. I just got really fed up with the whole Bohn/Duen Drama and stopped watching the last episodes because I didn´t want to skip something just because I was annoyed at one pairing. After I watched the missing episodes I heard that it is very unlikely that the actor that portrays Mek will return for season two, which makes me fear that they will fix that in a way that ends with Boss being sidelined in an offscreen relationship.  
> After that was exam season, but I survived it and here we are.  
> Thank you all for the kudos and comments :)

**The-utterly-failed-stage**

The next day started with Mek nearly choked to death by his comforter and Boss weight, who had sprawled across the bed and what felt like Meks entire respiration system. Next to his immediate need for oxygen Mek felt an happiness he hadn't expected. Or better: had underestimated. He basked in the feeling for a few moments, before he steeled his resolve and his battered heart. He had a plan and he should stick to it, even if Boss had been dumped. The whole thing that had led to him coming up with his plan, was after all the fact that Boss was a lovable idiot who flitted between relationships. The next one would come sooner or later. And so would his next heartbreak. 

Carefully he slid Boss off of his body and left the bedroom as quiet as possible. After dressing for the day (not very hard, their university had an uniform after all) in the bathroom, he let himself sink down in the cold tiles and breath. He had to go on with his plan. He was still on the “date other people” phase and the plan was already failing. With a deep sigh he took out his phone and texted Tee.

“The plan still hasn't worked. Don't you have an acquaintance that I could fall in love with?”

Not even five minutes later Tee texted back.

“The plan is still on? I thought now that Boss is single again you would make your move”

Mek frowned.

“How do you even know that he's single again?”

Without waiting for an answer he send the next text.

“And I told you: Boss´ friendship is way too important to me. I won't jeopardize this relationship just to get my heart broken and loose everything”

He waited for the answer, throwing his phone on the wash table and crossing his arms while he scowled. Tee didn't seem to understand the problem. Mek was lost in muddled thoughts until his phone alerted him to a new message by vibrating off the table. He threw himself forward to catch it and felt surprised delight for a second when he actually caught it, before he hit his head on the table. He cursed under his breath while he blinked a few stubborn tears away, before he unlocked his phone.

“Look Mek, you are my friend. So is Boss. I want both of you to be happy and I think you are the happiest when you're together. So yes, I understand that you don't want to do something that could destroy something important between you two. But I also think that you don't even dare to think of a happy ending for you. But because I am your friend I will organise a date for you. And one for Boss. A double date. See if you can stand a situation like this. I even try to find someone who´s enough like Boss that you´re interested. “

Mek had not decided yet, when someone knocked on the bathroom door, interrupting his inner monologue, his brain only chanting “Double-Date with Boss?”, in various emotions ranging from delight to dread. 

“Mek you in there? I´m hungry and you said that I´m not allowed to cook in your kitchen anymore because I destroyed that expensive pan you got from your mom”

Mek groaned.

“And also, and I don´t know if you are aware of this, but it is still a school day and I do have to get ready. Our professor would kill me if I would show up to class without a clean uniform while smelling like alcohol”

Mek groaned louder.

“Are you okay? That didn´t sound like you´re alright. Or are you shit-”

Mek threw the door open.   
“Don't you dare to finish that sentence Boss!”

Boss grinning face and laughter greeted him and Mek felt his heart skipping a beat. Before he could rethink a very hasty made decision he blurted out: “Tee is organising a double date for us. You can't say no. I mean, you can. But then I will tell Tee to cancel it. I won't do anymore blind dates alone!”

“Because of the twitter rant?”

“Yes. That was terrible” 

Boss laughed and patted his shoulder. 

“Okay. I will go on a double date with you and protect you from the evil boys. Whoever shows up has to defeat me. My husband is safe with me”, laughing he shoved him gently to the side, so that he could use the bathroom. With a wink he closed the door in the face of a stunned Mek, whose thought were tumbling around in his head, stumbling over Boss´ words. In a perfect world he would have said “I will go on a date with you”, Mek felt his face heat up and groaned in despair. What had he done? That would end terrible.

\------

The double date was actually going pretty decent. Barely a week had gone by after he had told Tee "yes" and now they were already on their date. And it could go worse. He and Boss had carpooled together to the Bar they were supposed to meet their dates at. Fun (Meks Date, culinary major) and Peach (Boss´ Date, architecture major) were already waiting for them. After the awkward introductions and compliments the four of them had decided to sit inside at a little table. They had sat down and after a little confusion Boss ended up next to Mek while their dates sat across from them. Then embarrassed silence fell over them. 

“So”, Fun started. “You two know Tee?”

Mek nodded. After all his dates he was better with talking to people, but the answer was obvious and like King had said once: Sometimes all of one's patience was used up by ones idiot friends. 

And at the moment all of his patience went into not punching Bohn and Duen until they talked to each other (when King had said, that Mek also should talk to Boss to solve his whole heartbreak situation he had turned him out). Luckily Boss had either more patience or wasn't really bothered by the obvious answer.

“Yeah, he's our friend. We met him at the start of university. He's such a busy body, but he always makes time for us. He's great”, Boss grin was nearly blinding, and Peach seemed to think the same thing. She started melting, smile going soft. 

“How did you met him?”

“Oh”, she swept her long wavy hair to the side and tilted her head, while leaning in Boss´ direction: “We met at the university too. We´re- I mean Fun, Tee and me- were all involved in the charity projects our university does and after some time we started to recognize each other. Soon we started talking. He is like you said a great guy so when he said that he had some friends interested in a double date I couldn't say no. And I must admit, at the moment I am pretty happy, that I said yes”, she smiled and winked. Boss´ blushed lightly but smiled bright and delighted. “Oh are you? I must say, I am pretty happy myself”.

Mek was feeling conflicted. On one side, seeing Boss happy always made him feel good. On the other side, seeing Boss flirting hurt. With a light shake of his head, he turned to Fun. 

“So”, he stopped, realising that he repeated the only thing Fun had said until know. 

“So, you´re a culinary major? Tee hasn't told me much about you, but that seemed important to him. So he must have tasted your food and it must have tasted good”, on the inside he was cringing. He was behaving unexpectedly awkward.

Fun seemed to liven up. 

“Yes, I mean he said it was good, but I didn't know he would talk about my food. I am a little bit embarrassed but you know, it is nice to hear something like that. Cooking is my passion and I want to own a restaurant when I finish school.”, he was all movement of hands and excited babble. Tee really had found someone similar to Boss. Mek involuntarily smiled. Fun seemed to take that as encouragement and continued talking.

“We said that Peach would design the restaurant and that May- that's her best friend- would run the whole thing, she is a business major after all, while I can cook as much as I want. You know I know a lot about food I could recommend something for you. We were planning to eat, right?”

“Sure, I could eat. Boss, Peach what about you?”

“Mek you know that I can always eat”

Peach laughed, lightly touching Boss´ hand. 

“We could share something. Fun always recommends something delicious”

Boss nodded full of enthusiasm.

Fun looked between Boss and Peach, looked down at the menu and looked up again. 

“What about the fried rice with chicken? Peach likes chicken and it is not too spicy”

Both nodded, but Fun wasn't looking anymore. He was studying the menu again. Mek saw him thinking about the different options, sometimes looking in Meks direction before he kept going. Mek only hoped, that he actually choose something he liked. 

“Mek, what do you think about fried rice with shrimps? It is a easy dish, but it doesn't take long to make and it is really tasty.”

Ah. Mek had sat up straight again, ready to ask for something different, when Boss interrupted his attempt. 

“Mek is allergic to shrimp. I mean, he won't die because of them, but he gets all sweaty and get this mean rash on his face. Oh and he starts puking. It's really gross. The last time he ate some we were at a party at Kings house and I had to carry him home because Kings weird sister was eyeing him. Do you know how hard it was to lug him home? I had to pay for the cab and the worst was, that his building doesn't have an elevator so I had to find a solution for the stairs. And then he nearly puked on my shirt. Luckily we were already in his bathroom so my poor shirt was spared.”, Boss was laughing but Fun and Peach looked slightly queasy. Mek understood them.

“Yes, thank you Boss. The story was completely unnecessary. I would have been enough to tell Fun that I am allergic.”

“But that would be boring. Your date should get to know you. Puking included. And I makes me look great doesn't it? After all I took you home, endangering my clothes and body”, he grinned bright, first at Peach than at Mek. Mek rolled his eyes.

“If that would be the case, I would talk about all the times I had to take you home, because you were either drunk or sleepy or too lazy to walk. Do you see me doing this? No. Do you know why? It's because you try to show your good parts of you when you're on a date. You don't want to scare them off”

“Pfff”, Boss made a shooing motion, like he was trying to sweep Meks words away. “That's different”

“What's different?”

“You doing that for me”

“And why is that so?”, Meks hoped he didn't sound as curious as he felt, he didn't want to encourage Boss.

“Well, first off, you are taller than me, that means that it's easier to carry me. And you have a car so you don't have to pay for a cab. And most importantly-”

“I'm hearing, what's so important?”, Mek was smirking completely focused on Boss.

“It's simple”, Boss leaned closer to him, smiling.

“It's because it's your duty as the husband to care for your wife.”

Mek felt like being dosed with cold water. It had been quite the time since Boss had joked like that. And now he did it while they were on a date. With other people. He pushed down the urge to face palm. This date would not end well.

“What?”, Peach sounded frosty. 

Boss finally seemed to notice his mistake. He spluttered for a few seconds, before a panicked “It´s a joke!”, left his mouth.

“You´re joking about being in a relationship while on a date?”

“What Boss meant to say, is that it´s a department wide joke, that started in our first year. We got caught up in it because it's easier to play along than try to fight it”

“Yes! Exactly that! I´m just used to calling him my husband. Look, I even saved him as “Hubbi” in my phone!”

Mek looked wide eyed at Boss. He hadn't known that.

“And did you change the name, when you were in a relationship?”, Peach looked less frosty, more contemplative.

“No? Should I? I only date girls, so there is no possibility to confuse them.”

“And don´t you think, that your girlfriends feel awkward when they hear these kind of jokes and even see that name in your phone?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because the man they´re dating has a number named “Hubbi” saved in his phone. Don´t they think, that they think that you are cheating?”

“Why would they? They know Mek and they know that he is my best friend. If they don´t get along with him, then I don't date them”, Boss shrugged and Mek stared in disbelief. He hadn't known that. He had thought, that all the girls that were coming and going had broken Boss´ heart. 

“What? Why would you break up with a girl you like just because she doesn't like me?”

“I mean you are aware that you are my best friend, right? And that when they want to make me choose between you and them, that I will choose you, right?”

Meks only answer was a strangled sound, that escaped him. 

“They make you choose?”, Peach piped up, sounding interested. Fun was quietly watching both of them. 

“I mean, not all of them. Fon didn´t. But a lot of them did”

“Why?”, she leaned forward.

“Most of the time, they don't like that we have no trouble with touching, you know Mek gives the best hugs and is a really great cuddler”, he had turned to Fun. “And he is really attentive. He knows your favorite food and what you like to listen to and what movies you like. And he let´s you copy his homework and carries you home when you're too tired. And he comes over when you're sick until you´re healthy again. And he won't get mad at you when you accidentally destroy the pan his mother send him or take his keys although he doesn't like people in his space. And he will let you sleep in his bed, which is the most comfy thing I ever experienced. He will always help you. He's the best!”, Boss had sounded enthusiastic at the beginning, but with every word his voice had turned smaller and deep in thought. At first he had sounded like he was addressing Fun, in the end he seemed to talk to himself and a blush had begun spreading over his cheeks. Not that Mek had something to say about that. He himself was surely burning red. The following silence was deafening. 

“Oh my god”, Boss sounded choked up.

“Boss, are you okay?”

“Oh my god”

“Boss-”

“Oh my god, oh my god, ohmygodohmygoodohmygod”, Boss was mumbling, face red and hidden behind his hands.

“Are you okay?”, Peach took Boss´ hand and pulled it away. He was staring at her with big eyes, face still deeply red.

“I´m in love with Mek! Why has no one told me that I am in love with Mek?”

“What?”, Mek sounded toneless to his own ears. Blood was rushing and the world seemed to have stopped turning. He pinched himself. Hard. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Boss turned so fast, he nearly fell of his chair, only being saved by Mek catching his arm while he was slipping. 

“Mek”

“Yes?”

“Mek”

“Boss?”

“Mek, did you know that I am in love with you?Why didn't you tell me? Both of us could have saved a lot of time we spent with fruitless dates”

“Boss, are you sure?”

“Why wouldn't I? I mean, I just noticed now, that what I feel for you is way more than friendship, but the way I feel about you now is how I have felt for a long time now. Probably since our first year”.

Mek didn´t know how to answer this. His tongue felt stuck to the roof of his mouth, thoughts and words were spinning around and he seriously considered, if he was experiencing an heart attack. 

“Mek are you okay? You´re like really pale!”, Boss had leaned forward, obviously concerned, touching his shoulders and grounding him. 

“Shit. I didn't even- Mek do you even like me like that? I know you date guys so I hope you don't have a problem with me liking you”, he looked at him with big eyes, an insecure twist to his mouth. 

“Boss.”

“Yes?”

“Are you really sure, that you like me like that?”

“Huh? I mean, yes I am sure. I took my time but you know me: Sometimes I need a bit longer to understand things.”

“Boss I need you to be really sure about that, because I'm pretty sure, that if you reconsider this after we start dating I can't go back to being friends so easily, It will take time and a lot of effort to get this here back”

“Does that mean, that you like me too?”, Boss was beaming and Meks heart reacted with fluttering. He searched his face, saw the affection he took for friendship and the nerves in Boss´ eyes. Silently he nodded, too chocked up to answer verbally. Boss smile turned up even more. 

“Say it!”

“Come on, say it!”

“Meeeek, say it!”

“C´mon be the great husband that you proved to be and tell me that you like me”, Boss had cuddled up to him, fluttering his eyelashes in his typical obnoxious way. Mek held strong for several seconds, before he carved.

“Yes Boss, I like you like that too. Have for a time, but I never thought that you would like me like that. You only ever dated girls so I thought that no matter how much in love with you I was, I would never stand a chance.”

“Mek”, Boss looked close to crying. “Sorry that it took me so long. But I swear to you that I'm sure about how I feel. And I will prove it to you, every single day. I will use so much PDA our friends will be sick of it!”. He took Meks hand, intertwining their fingers. Mek smiled back at him until Peach cleared her throat, nearly violently pulling them back to the now. Both of them flushed and looked guilty at the people who were supposed to be their dates.

“I´m very sorry. I didn't expect the date to go this way. We will pay for your expenses but-”, he grabbed Boss´ hand harder.

“No buts”, Peach was giggling and Fun looked fondly at her.

“Well I won't say that we did expect how this would end, but our goal was to make you realise that you are in love with each other.”

“What?”, Boss looked flummoxed.

“Yeah. Tee asked us to go on a date with you, observe how you behave and maybe give some subtle hints for Boss to realise his feelings. Tee made sure, that we knew that we were allowed to do everything you were comfortable with except outright telling you about your feelings. And in the end, we didn't have to do anything.”

Boss started laughing, while Mek still felt like a truck had run him over. 

“So who are you to each other then?”

Peach smiled widely. 

“This one is my older brothers soon to be boyfriend. Tee promised to meddle if we would help you.”

Fun blushed and shifted on his chair, trying to look no one in the eyes. Mek felt a wave of sympathie washing over him. 

“If we can help, we will.”

“Yeah, without me trying to talk Mek up to you, I probably would have taken a lot longer to realise what my feelings really are. So thank you.”

They smiled at each other, before Peach started laughing again. 

“Just go home you two. Go cuddle or something. I heard at least one of you is pretty good at it”.

Boss turned red, but he still pulled Mek up and out of the bar while waving goodbye to Peach and Fun. 

\---

Boss and Mek were indeed cuddling on Meks bed. It was comfortable and something they had already done in the past. Still, Meks heart was beating like crazy and this time Boss was able to hear it, because instead of lying on Meks shoulder like usual, he laid directly on his chest, arms crossed underneath his chin. 

“So”, Boss mumbled. Mek just made an inquiring noise, his arms holding onto Boss´ waist. 

“We're cuddling”

“Hm”

“And we're together”

“Yes”, Meks arms tightened. 

“You're my boyfriend”

“Yes”

“But you still haven't kissed me”, Boss pretended to pout. Mek smiled.

“You want to kiss me?”

“No, I want you to kiss me. I never kissed a boy before, I don't know how”

“I mean, I never kissed a girl before, but I am pretty sure it works the same way”, Mek was smiling. Not just content but also happy.

“Just do it Mek!”, now Boss was really pouting. Mek chuckled, but obeyed. With little effort he brought his hands to Boss´ face, pulling him up to his lips. Their lips were dry, the friction a bit too harsh to be completely comfortable but nonetheless. It was Boss he was kissing and this alone was making it the best thing he had felt for quite a while. He released Boss, smiling when Boss touched his own lips, seemingly deep in thought. 

“And is it different from kissing a girl?”

“Hm.”, Boss mumbled. “It's better but I am pretty sure, that's because it's you I´m kissing.”, he grinned. “But let's test that later”, he winked and Mek had to bite his tongue to stop himself from blushing like a middle schooler after their first kiss. 

“Is kissing with stubble different?”

“I don´t know. I never kissed someone with stubble or a beard”

“Then it's decided: We won't shave today and tomorrow we will test out how it is to kiss someone with stubble”, he grinned so wide Mek was unable to say no to him. Defeated he nodded and pulled Boss back towards his chest. Tomorrow they would try kissing with stubble, today they would cuddle.

\---

The next day they barely showed up before the professor closed the door, both out of breath with reddened lips and light stubble, wearing big smiles and holding hands. Tee smiled smug before he threw a glimpse at King, who was smiling at his phone, a light blush highlighting his cheekbones. Two idiots down, two to go. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m considering turning this into a series, with one work already in work (it can be read separately) from Fons POV and another about King. The only thing I won´t write will be Bohn/Duen because I still don´t like that pairing.  
> Thank you very much for reading this little story of mine. I hope you enjoyed it :)


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